Discarge compilation from The Global River Discharge (RivDIS) Project

The Global River Discharge (RivDIS) data set contains monthly discharge measurements for 1018 stations located throughout the world. The period of record varies widely from station to station, with a mean of 21.5 years. These data were digitized from published UNESCO archives by Charles Voromarty, Balaze Fekete, and B.A. Tucker of the Complex Systems Research Center (CSRC) at the University of New Hampshire. River discharge is typically measured through the use of a rating curve that relates local water level height to discharge. This rating curve is used to estimate discharge from the observed water level. The rating curves are periodically rechecked and recalibrated through on-site measurement of discharge and river stage.

West & North Africa, ca. 1710 (Raster Image)

This layer is a georeferenced raster image of the historic paper map entitled: Carte de la Barbarie, le [sic] la Nigritie et del la Guinée, par Guillaume de l'Isle de l'Academie Royale des Sciences. It was published by ex officina Nicolai Visscher, ca. 1710. Scale [ca.1:9,000,000]. Covers West and North Africa. Map in French.The image inside the map neatline is georeferenced to the surface of the earth and fit to the Africa Sinusoidal projected coordinate system. All map collar and inset information is also available as part of the raster image, including any inset maps, profiles, statistical tables, directories, text, illustrations, index maps, legends, or other information associated with the principal map. This map shows features such as drainage, cities and other human settlements, routes and roads, territorial boundaries, shoreline features, and more. Relief shown pictorially. Includes notes.This layer is part of a selection of digitally scanned and georeferenced historic maps from the Harvard Map Collection. These maps typically portray both natural and manmade features. The selection represents a range of originators, ground condition dates, scales, and map purposes.

West & North Africa, ca. 1730 (Raster Image)

This layer is a georeferenced raster image of the historic paper map entitled: Carte de la Barbarie, le la Nigritie et de la Guinée, par Guill[au]me Del'Isle, de l'Academie Royale des Sciences. It was published by Chez Jean Cóvens et Corneille Mortier, Geographes ca. 1730. Scale [ca.1:9,250,000]. Covers West and North Africa. Map in French.The image inside the map neatline is georeferenced to the surface of the earth and fit to the Africa Sinusoidal projected coordinate system. All map collar and inset information is also available as part of the raster image, including any inset maps, profiles, statistical tables, directories, text, illustrations, index maps, legends, or other information associated with the principal map. This map shows features such as drainage, cities and other human settlements, roads and routes, territorial boundaries, shoreline features, and more. Relief shown pictorially. Includes notes.This layer is part of a selection of digitally scanned and georeferenced historic maps from the Harvard Map Collection. These maps typically portray both natural and manmade features. The selection represents a range of originators, ground condition dates, scales, and map purposes.

West & Central Africa, ca. 1690 (Raster Image)

This layer is a georeferenced raster image of the historic paper map entitled: Effigies ampli Regni auriferi Guineae in Africa siti, extensum inde ad insulis Atlanticis, vulgo dictis, de Cabo Verde : ad flumen Benin, us[que], ad cujus ripam sita est Regia urbs et magna Benin, at[que] inde ad promontorium Lopi Gonsalvi, delineata per S. Rovelascum, et politioribus lineamentis figurata per Lodovicum Texeram, protocosmographum Regis Hispaniarum ; Baptista Doetechomius sculpsit ; Carolus Allardt excudit. It was published by Carolus Allardt ca. 1690. Scale [ca. 1:8,000,000]. Covers portions of West and Central Africa. Map in Latin and Portuguese.The image inside the map neatline is georeferenced to the surface of the earth and fit to the World Miller Cylindrical projected coordinate system. All map collar and inset information is also available as part of the raster image, including any inset maps, profiles, statistical tables, directories, text, illustrations, index maps, legends, or other information associated with the principal map. This map shows features such as drainage, cities and other human settlements, shoreline features, and more. Includes also illustrations and text.This layer is part of a selection of digitally scanned and georeferenced historic maps from the Harvard Map Collection. These maps typically portray both natural and manmade features. The selection represents a range of originators, ground condition dates, scales, and map purposes.

West & Central Africa, ca. 1752 (Raster Image)

This layer is a georeferenced raster image of the historic paper map entitled: Guinea propria : nec non Nigritiae vel terrae Nigrorum maxima pars : Geographis hodiernis dicta utraque Aethiopia Inferior, & huius quidem pars australis ex delineationibus Anvillianis itineri Guineensi D. de Marchais insertis secundum Leges proiectionis stereographicae Hasianae, designata & edita studio & labore Homannianorum Heredum A. 1743 = Guinée de meme que la plus grande parties du pais des Negres : appellées par les geographes modernes Ethiopie inferieure et meridionale, tirées des morceaux geographiques de Mr. d'Anville, qu'il a inseres au voyage du Chev. de Marchais, & puis dessinées suivant les loix de la nouvelle projection de feu Mr. le prof. Has, par les Heritiers d'Homan. A 1743. It was published by edita studio & labore Homannianorum Heredum ca. 1752. Scale [ca. 1:7,400,000]. Covers portions of West and Central Africa. Map in Latin.The image inside the map neatline is georeferenced to the surface of the earth and fit to the World Miller Cylindrical projected coordinate system. All map collar and inset information is also available as part of the raster image, including any inset maps, profiles, statistical tables, directories, text, illustrations, index maps, legends, or other information associated with the principal map. This map shows features such as drainage, cities and other human settlements, territorial boundaries, shoreline features, and more. Relief shown pictorially. Includes also notes.This layer is part of a selection of digitally scanned and georeferenced historic maps from the Harvard Map Collection. These maps typically portray both natural and manmade features. The selection represents a range of originators, ground condition dates, scales, and map purposes.

West & Central Africa, ca. 1753 (Raster Image)

This layer is a georeferenced raster image of the historic paper map entitled: A new and correct map of the coast of Africa : from Cape Blanco lat. 20°40'. N. to the coast of Angola lat. 11°. S. : with explanatory notes of all the forts and settlements belonging to the several European powers, R. W. Seale, sculp. It was published by J. & P. Knapton ca. 1753. Scale [ca. 1:10,000,000]. Covers portions of West and Central Africa.The image inside the map neatline is georeferenced to the surface of the earth and fit to the World Miller Cylindrical projected coordinate system. All map collar and inset information is also available as part of the raster image, including any inset maps, profiles, statistical tables, directories, text, illustrations, index maps, legends, or other information associated with the principal map. This map shows features such as drainage, cities and other human settlements, territorial claims, forts, factories, shoreline features, and more. Includes also notes, index, and inset: A separate map of the Gold Coast, upon a larger scale.This layer is part of a selection of digitally scanned and georeferenced historic maps from the Harvard Map Collection. These maps typically portray both natural and manmade features. The selection represents a range of originators, ground condition dates, scales, and map purposes.

West & Central Africa, 1809 (Raster Image)

This layer is a georeferenced raster image of the historic paper map entitled: Charte von Senegambien und Ober-Guinea : nebst dem innern Nigritien : nach den neuesten Nachrichten entworfen. It was published by im Verl. des Geograph. Instituts in 1809. Scale [ca. 1:9,250,000]. Covers portions of West and Central Africa. Map in German.The image inside the map neatline is georeferenced to the surface of the earth and fit to the World Miller Cylindrical projected coordinate system. All map collar and inset information is also available as part of the raster image, including any inset maps, profiles, statistical tables, directories, text, illustrations, index maps, legends, or other information associated with the principal map. This map shows features such as drainage, roads, cities and other human settlements, territorial boundaries, shoreline features, and more. Relief shown pictorially. Includes also notes.This layer is part of a selection of digitally scanned and georeferenced historic maps from the Harvard Map Collection. These maps typically portray both natural and manmade features. The selection represents a range of originators, ground condition dates, scales, and map purposes.

West & Central Africa, 1873 (Raster Image)

This layer is a georeferenced raster image of the historic paper map entitled: Stanford's map of the Guinea Coast, West Africa including the whole course of the Niger, and shewing Ashanti and its surroundings. It was published by E. Stanford in 1873. Scale 1:6,336,000. Covers portions of West and Central Africa.The image inside the map neatline is georeferenced to the surface of the earth and fit to the Africa Sinusoidal projected coordinate system. All map collar and inset information is also available as part of the raster image, including any inset maps, profiles, statistical tables, directories, text, illustrations, index maps, legends, or other information associated with the principal map. This map shows features such as drainage, cities and other human settlements, territorial boundaries and claims, roads, exploration routes, shoreline features, and more. Relief shown by hachures and spot heights. Includes notes.This layer is part of a selection of digitally scanned and georeferenced historic maps from the Harvard Map Collection. These maps typically portray both natural and manmade features. The selection represents a range of originators, ground condition dates, scales, and map purposes.

Success and Failure for Children Born with Facial Clefts in Africa: A 15-Year Follow-up.

BACKGROUND: This study reviews the 15 year program of our Department of Pediatric Surgery for the treatment and follow-up of children born with a cleft in Benin and Togo. METHODS: We analyzed files of children born in Africa with a cleft. They were referred to us through a nongovernmental organization (NGO) between 1993 and 2008 and assessed in Africa by local pediatricians before and after surgery. Operations were performed by our team. RESULTS: Two hundred files were reviewed: 60 cases of unilateral cleft lip, seven of bilateral cleft lip, 44 of unilateral cleft lip palate (UCLP), 29 of bilateral cleft lip palate (BCLP), 53 of cleft palate (CP), three of bilateral oro-ocular cleft, one of unilateral and two of median clefts (Binder), and one of commissural cleft. Sixty-nine (35 %) of these cases were not operated in Africa: 25 (12.5 %) had not shown up, 28 (15 %) were considered unfit for surgery (Down's syndrome, HIV-positive, malnutrition, cardiac malformation), and 16 (7.5 %) were transferred to Switzerland. Palatal fistula occurred in 20 % of UCLP, 30 % of BCLP, and 16 % of CP. Evaluation of speech after palate surgery gave less than 50 % of socially acceptable speech. CONCLUSIONS: Our partnership with a NGO and a local team makes it possible to treat and subsequently follow children born with a cleft in West Africa. Surgery is performed under good conditions. If aesthetic results are a success, functional results after palate surgery need further improvement to promote integration in school and social life.

West & North Africa, 1810 (Raster Image)

This layer is a georeferenced raster image of the historic paper map entitled: Charte von Nord-Africa : nach dem neuesten Entdeckungen. It was published in 1810. Scale [ca. 1:9,875,000]. Covers West & North Africa and a portion of Europe. Map in German.The image inside the map neatline is georeferenced to the surface of the earth and fit to the Europe Lambert Conformal Conic coordinate system. All map collar and inset information is also available as part of the raster image, including any inset maps, profiles, statistical tables, directories, text, illustrations, index maps, legends, or other information associated with the principal map. This map shows features such as drainage, cities and other human settlements, roads and routes, territorial boundaries, shoreline features, and more. Relief shown by hachures.This layer is part of a selection of digitally scanned and georeferenced historic maps from the Harvard Map Collection. These maps typically portray both natural and manmade features. The selection represents a range of originators, ground condition dates, scales, and map purposes.

Morphological variation and reproductive incompatibility of three coconut-mite-associated populations of predatory mites identified as Neoseiulus paspalivorus (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

Predatory mites identified as Neoseiulus paspalivorus DeLeon (Phytoseiidae) have been considered as agents for classical biological control of the coconut mite, Aceria guerreronis Keifer (Eriophyidae), in Africa and elsewhere. Preliminary identification of geographically distinct populations as belonging to the same species (N. paspalivorus) was based on their morphological similarity. However, laboratory studies recently conducted have shown large differences in feeding behaviors and biological characteristics among individuals collected from three geographic origins: Brazil (South America), Benin and Ghana (West Africa). As morphologically similar specimens do not necessarily belong to the same species, we evaluated under laboratory conditions, reproductive compatibility between the specimens from three geographic locations to ascertain their conspecificity. Morphological measurements were also made to determine whether there is a means of discriminating between them. Inter-population crosses showed complete reproductive isolation between the three geographic populations, but interpopulation discontinuities in morphometric characters were absent. These results indicate that the tested specimens are distinct biological entities despite morphological similarity. Further molecular genetic studies are therefore proposed, including screening for endosymbionts and assessment of genetic differentiation, to determine the cause of reproductive incompatibility and to clarify the taxonomic relationship between those populations.

A cross-cultural study of the higher-order structures underlying personality disorders in French-speaking Africa and Switzerland

Most studies about the higher-order dimensions to be considered in order to parsimoniously describe Personality Disorders (PDs) have identified between two and four factors but there is still no consensus about their exact number. In this context, the cultural stability of these structures might be a criterion to be considered. The aim of this study was to identify stable higher-order structures of PD traits in a French-speaking African and Swiss sample (N = 2,711). All subject completed the IPDE screening questionnaire. Using Everett's criterion and conducting a series of principal component analyses, a cross-culturally stable two- and four-factor structure were identified, associated with a total congruence coefficient of respectively .98 and .94 after Procrustes rotation. Moreover, these two structures were also highly replicable across the four African regions considered, North Africa, West Africa, Central Africa, and Mauritius, with a mean total congruence coefficient of respectively .97 and .87. The four-factor structure presented the advantage of being similar to Livesely's four components and of describing the ten PDs more accurately.